Often, doctors’ default recommendation for pregnant women with disabilities is to give birth via cesarean section. Vaginal birth can be an option, however, there are several things to consider.
Is a disability an indication for a c-section?
Doctors often recommend a cesarean section as a precaution, even though there should be specific medical indications for the procedure. Not every condition hinders the normal progression of childbirth. You should talk about the way you will deliver your baby with your obstetrician-gynecologist, treating doctor, and anesthesiologist [1].
Can a woman with a spinal cord injury give birth naturally?
This condition should be discussed with your treating doctor, anesthesiologist, obstetrician, and possibly a physiotherapist, to decide which type of anesthesia is appropriate in your case. Even if you have no feeling in the lower part of your body, anesthesia is necessary as it reduces the risk of autonomic dysreflexia. This dangerous complication, associated with a sudden increase in blood pressure and cardiac rhythm disturbances, often occurs during childbirth in women with spinal cord injuries. During the postpartum recovery period, you should stay in touch with your obstetrician-gynecologist, as the healing of stitches in women with spinal cord injuries is slower [2].
How can you avoid missing the start of labor if you feel nothing in the lower part of your body?
Contractions can indeed go unnoticed. However, pain is not the only sign of labor. Go to the hospital if:
Your abdomen becomes hard and then soft again.
Tension occurs regularly, and the intervals between contractions shorten.
You leak amniotic fluid.
You lose the mucus plug [3].
In women with spinal cord and spine injuries labor usually starts earlier, so be vigilant and monitor these signs from around the 28th week.
How can you give birth if you have a limb amputation or paralysis?
You will need assistance - it can come from your partner, a doula, or a midwife. According to the "Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities," "If you have no control over your legs, you can lie on your side while someone holds your upper leg" [3]. Another option is to kneel next to the person assisting you, so they can support you.
